Compound locomotive engine



(No Model.) 5 snets-sneet 1.

' C. REEVES.

COMPOUND LOGOMOTIVE ENGINE. No. 585,331. Patented June 29, 1897.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

C. EV ES. COMPOUND 'MOTIVE ENGINE. N0..585,331. Patented June 29,1897.

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet3.

GOMPOAUND'LOGOMOTIVE ENGINE.

No. 585,331. Patented June 29,1897.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets--Sheet 4.

O. REEVES.

COMPOUND LOGOMOTIVE ENGINE.

No. 585,331. Patented June 29,1897.

(No Model.) I 5 Sheets-Sheet 5. C. REEVES.

GOMPOUND LOGOMOTIVE ENGINE.

' No. 585,331. Patented June 29,1897.

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NITED STATES .ATEN'I Erica.

CLIFTON REEVES, OF TRENTON, NEWV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONEHALF TO CHARLES HEATH, OF SAME PLACE.

COMPOUND LOCOMOTlVE-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 585,331, dated June 29, 189?. Application filed April 20, 1896. Serial No. 588,401. (No model-l To all whom, it may concern.-

. Be it known that I, CLIFTON REEVES, a cit-izen of the United States of America, residing at Trenton, in the county of Mercer and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Compound Locomotive-Engines, of which the followingisaspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My object is to produce a compound locomotive-engine provided with a valve so bal aneed and provided'with such appliances as will result in an economy of steam, and consequently of fuel. I effect this economy by providing an apparatus by which the steam after expansion in a high-pressure cylinder is transferred to a low pressure cylinder, made, preferably, three and a half times larger than the high-pressure cylinder, in which lowpressure cylinder the steam again performs an amount of work equal to the work performed by it in the high-pressure cylinder, thereby securing twice the work performed by an equal amount of steam under similar conditions in a single-acting engine.

In my apparatus the steam is admitted into the high-pressure cylinder and from thence into the low-pressure cylinder and exhausted therefrom. This admission is by means of a go flat slide-valve which I have devised as an improvement over the round valve. This valve I arrange so that, while it is a slide-valve, it

is completely balanced, the pressure underneath it equaling the pressure on the exposed 5 upper surface, thereby securing absence of friction from pressure and avoiding loss of power therefrom. I also provide easy and. simple means of converting the engine into a single-acting engine at pleasure, securing a 0 continuance of the action of the engine should accident occur to the mechanism of the lowpressure cylinder. I also provide means by which a vacuum in the valve and in the lowpressure cylinder is prevented. I, furthermore, by the arrangement of the cranks connected with the engine, neutralize any twisting eifect on the axles of the driving-wheel, and thereby by my arrangement of opposite cranks and connecting-rods I avoid the hammer-blow 011 the track, caused in other engines by the presence of counterbalances in the driving-wheels. I effect these objects by the mechanism hereinafter more fully described,and shown in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view in section of a portion of a locomotive-engine, showing in section the attachment of my mechanism thereto. Fig. 2 is an end view in half, showing in section the position of the cylinders and steam chest and boiler. Fig.

3 is a View in section of the valve, steamchest, valve-seat, and ports. Fig. 4 is a view in section of the relief-valve. Fig. 5 is a top view of another part of the same; and Fig. 6 is also a top View of the same, showing shape of the guides. Fig. 7 is a bottom view of another part of the same. Fig. 8 is a view in cross-section of balance-valve and steamchest with starting-valve in place. Fig. 9 is a bottom View of the balance slide-Valve. Fig. 10 is a top view thereof. Fig. 11 is a side view thereof. Fig. 12 is a side view of valve with view in section of starting-valve. Figs.

13, 14, 15, and 16 show the starting-valve. Fig. 13 shows the valve. Fig. 14 shows the end view of starting-valve. Fig. 15 shows side view of gate-valve, and Fig. 16 shows an end view of gate-valve. Fig. 17 is a front view of the driving-wheel with axle, cranks, So and attachments. Fig. 18 is a view in section of a part of the starting-valve, slidevalve, yoke, and steam-chest, showing attachment to the chest and location of the startingvalve.

A more particular description of this mechanism is as follows:

In Fig. 1, A is the balanced slide-valve. B is the high pressure cylinder. 13 is the lowpressure cylinder. C C are the high-pressure 0 ports. D D are the low-pressure ports. E is the exhaust-port. F F are faces of valve covering ports C C. G is the valve-stem. II is face covering exhaust-port E. B is pistonhead. B is piston-rod. B is forward cylin- 9 5 der-head of high-pressure cylinder, and B is rear cylinder-head of same. B is forward cylinder-head of low-pressure cylinder, and B rear cylinder-head of same. I is connecting-rod to axle. Back of this and hidden by it is another connecting-rod to axle. W is the driving-wheel Z, the rock-shaft arm; P

axle, and F a portion of the frame of the engine, and is the saddle of the cylinders. The valves, valve-seats, ports, and attachments appear more clearly in Fig. 3, in the description of which they will be more minutely enumerated.

In Fig. 2, B is the high-pressure cylinder; B, the low-pressure cylinder; 8", the cylinder-saddle; S, the boiler; S, lid of steamchest; F frame; 0 0, sides of steam-chest.

In Fig. 3, A A represent the s1ide-valve; O C, high-pressure ports; D D, low-pressure ports; E, exhaust-port; F F, faces of valve covering ports 0 0; F outside lap of valve; F inside lap of valve; H, face of valve covering exhaust-port E; A, yoke of valve; G, valvestem; L L, chambers over low-pressure ports; M M, openings leading to relief-valve; N N, packing-ring bearing against face T T; T T, face of steam-chest cover; N cavity under packing-ring; O 0, sides of steam-chest; P, opening forrelief-valve; S, lid of steam-chest; K, screw to raise the gate-valve K; Y Y, plate covering the gate-valve K; D D screws to fasten said plate; X X, ports connecting cavities X X to equalize the pressure at both ends of the valve; J J, ports leading from the throttle; V, opening leading to cavity above the valve; V port connecting chambers L L. M is opening leading to relief-valve. P and V are openings for relief-valves.

In Fig. 4, A A is a view in section of a part of the upper portion of the slide-valve, showing at M placed therein the relief-valve R. M M are guides to the valve bearing against side of opening M. R are springs placed underneath R. C is a disk against which the spring bears. U is a cap perforated to admit air.

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of valve R, showing disk 0 Fig. 6 shows top View of valve R and guides M.

Fig. 7 is a bottom view of disk U, with perforations D In Fig. 8, S is the lid of the steam-chest; A, the slide-valve; A face of valve-seat; O 0, sides of steam-chest. X X X are ports leading from cavity X to X in Fig. 3. N is the packingring, bearing against face of steam-chest lid. N is the cavity underneath the packing-ring. In this cavityI place coilsprings which serve to keep the packing-ring against the face of steam-chest lid. As these springs are not new in such connection I have not figured them. A is the yoke of the valve, upon which rests the starting-valve and which is held in place by the lugs O O, as shown in Fig. 18, which I preferably cast in one with the side of the steam-chest.

In Fig. 9, L L represent a bottom view of the top of the chambers L L in Fig. 3, and U shows the bottom of the disk U of the relief-valve. There is one such valve to each chamber.

In Fig. 10, which is a top view of the slidevalve, A A represents the portion of the valve exposed to steam-pressure. N is the packingring, and N is a steam-tight joint in the ring. Y Y is a plate to strengthen the valve. K is the head of the screw'for raising gatevalve, and M M are the openings to the relief-valve R. (Shown in Fig. 4.)

I11 Fig. 11, A shows the slide-valve. Openings A in the side lead to the chambers L L.

In Fig. 12, A A is another view of the side of sliding valve, showing attached thereto the starting-valve A The details of this starting-valve are shown more particularly in the following figures. I

In Fig. 13, A is the starting-valve with ports A and guides A Fig. 14 is an end view of the starting-valve. A is the seat of the starting-valve.

In Fig. 15, O is a rod for moving the starting-valve, and O arelugs, through which the rod passes, attached to the starting-valve. Fig. 16 shows the end of this rod and lugs C In Fig. 17, R is the outside crank. 2 is the crank-pin. R is the pedestal-brace; R inside crank; R inside crank-pin; and E E are eccentrics.

Fig. 18 is a view showing the location of and method of holding the starting-valve in place within the steam-chest and against the side of the slide-valve. This starting-valve rests upon the yoke A, and is kept from moving backward or forward by the lugs O 0, attached to the wall 0 of the steam-chest. It also shows the relative position of the ports of the starting-valve and of the connectingports A of the slide-valve. When the slide valve is not centered and the ports of the starting-valve are open, there is connection between the interior of the steam-chest and either the front or rear chamber of the sliding valve by means of these ports, according as the slide-valve is in an advanced or retracted position. WVhen the slide-valve is centered, there is no connection.

The operation of my mechanism is as follows: Steam being admitted from the boiler by the ports J J, it enters the cavities X X and by means of the ports X X, Fig. 3, and X X, Fig. 8, the pressure in each of cavities X is equalized and the slide-valve A is free to move backward and forward. The slidevalve moves forward and backward, as in otherengines. A forward movement will uncover rear port 0 and admit steam from rear cavity X into rear port 0 and by that port into the rear end of high-pressure cylinder 13. This movement also uncovers forward port 0 and releases the steam already used in the high-pressure cylinder,which thereby escapes into forward chamber L. The gate-valve K being closed, the steam thus released flows from this forward chamber L through forward port D to the low-pressure cylinder B. By the same movement face H is carried forward and uncovers or opens to rear chamber L the exhaust-port E, permitting the steam which has entered rear chamber L from the lowpressure cylinder by means of port D to es- IIO cape to the outer air. The forward movement of the valve having been completed, the

backward movement as it progresses uncovers forward port 0 and permits the steam from forward cavity X to enter the forward end of the high-pressure cylinder. The same movement also closes port E to rear port D and also uncovers rear port 0, and the exhaust-steam from the rear end of the highpressure cylinder by means of the rear port C and chamber L and rear port D enters the rear end of the low-pressure cylinder. It also uncovers or opens to forward chamber L the exhaust-port E, permitting the steam from the forward end of low-pressure cylinder to escape by forward port D and forward chamber L to exhaust-port E. 'I thus operate the two cylinders by one slide-valve common to both. The outside lap of this valve is greater than the inside lap, thereby permitting a cutoff earlier in the high than in the low pressure cylinder, thus economizing steam.

In case it be desired for any reason, such as accident or the like, to not use the lowpressure cylinder the gate-valve K can be raised by means of the screw K, and the steam in the ports D being then free to pass through the gate-valve an equilibrium is established and the engine is run simply as a high-pressure engine.

My relief-valves, as shown, are placed two of them in the body of the upper main portion of the slide-valve. They thus afford relief when a vacuum occurs in the chambers L or either of them. If this vacuum occurs, the valve R is depressed by the outside pressure of the air and air flows into the vacuum through the openings M.

I have not figured the relief-valves at the openings V and P, as they are to be found in use so placed in other engines.

As will be seen, the chambers L L about equal in area the exposed portion of the top of my s1ide-valve, and the pressure of the exhaust-steam from the high-pressure cylinders upward against the upper parts of these chambers equals the pressure downward in the steam-chest upon the exposed parts of the top, thus affording a slide-valve balanced.

The advantages of my construction, among others, are:

I have a slide-valve avoiding pressure and consequent friction.

I operate two cylinders by one valve, the ports always remaining in relative adjust ment, dispensing with an extra valve, with its separate adjustments, and permitting a diminution of weight, material, machinery, cost of production, friction, wear, and other causes of expenditure.

I also produce an engine which can at pleasure, with but a few moments loss of time and with no destruction of the parts, be converted from compound to single, and vice versa.

By placing relief-valves in the body of the slide-valve I avoid a vacuum underneath the valve and in the low-pressu re cylinder, avoiding the drawing in of cinder through the exhaust, which would cut the faces of the valve and the cylinder, and permitting a free steady run to the engine upon the closing of the throttle.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A steam-engine comprising a steam-chest having ports, high and low pressure cylinders provided with pistons, a balance slide-valve in said steam-chest, having a gate therein and ports and adapted to control the admission of steam to the rear end of the high-pressure cylinder, simultaneously with the admission of steam to the forward end of the low-pressure cylinder, the exhaust of steam from the highpressure cylinder to the end of the low-pressure cylinder adjacent thereto, the exhaust of used steam from said low-pressure cylinder, and conversely, when the gate is closed, and when open to control the admission of steam to the rear end of the high-pressure cylinder and the exhaust of steam therefrom and conversely, substantially as described.

2. A steam-engine having" a steam-chest provided with ports, high and low pressure cylinders provided with pistons, and a balance slide-valve in said steam-chest provided with a gate therein and ports, and valvefaces, said valve-faces adapted to control the admission and exhaust of steam to and from the high and low pressure cylinders and the slide-valve and the exhaust of used steam therefrom when said gate is closed, and when open, to permit the escape of the steam direct from the high-pressure cylinder into the slidevalve and the exhaust of the used steam therefrom, substantially as shown and described.

3. A steam-engine having a steam-chest provided with ports, high and low pressure cylinders provided with pistons, and a balan ce slide-va1ve in said steam-chest provided with chambers having ports leading therefrom, a port connecting said chambers, a gate therein adapted to open and close this port, and valve-faces, said valve-faces adapted to control the admission and exhaust of the steam to and from the high and low pressure cylinders and the slide-valve when said gate is closed and when open to permit the escape of the steam direct from the high-pressure cylinder into the slide-valve and the exhaust of used steam therefrom, substantiallyas shown and described.

4. A steam-engine having a steam-chest provided with ports, high and low pressure cylinders, provided with pistons and a balance slide-valve located in said steam-chest having chambers provided with ports opening therefrom, a port connecting said chambers, and a gate adapted to open and close said port, substantially as shown and described.

5. A steam -engine having a steam-chest provided with a valve-seat, and high and low pressure cylinders provided with pistons, said valve-seat having one set of ports leading to and from the high-pressure cylinder, and another set of ports leading to and from the lowpressure cylinder, and also having an exhaust-port, in combination with a slide-valve having a gate therein and provided with valve-faces arranged relatively to said ports so that when the front port leading to the high-pressure cylinder is open to the steamchest, the rear port of the same cylinder will be uncovered to connect with the rear port of the low-pressure cylinder, and the forward port of the low-pressure cylinder will be open to connect with the exhaust-port, substantially as shown and described.

6. A steam-engine chest provided with a valve-seat having one set of ports leading to and from a high-pressure cylinder, and another set of ports leading to and from a lowpressure cylinder, and also having an exhaust-port, in combination with a slide-valve having chambers connected by a port provided with a gate capable of being raised or lowered and thereby opening or closing said port, such slide-valve provided with valvefaces arranged relatively to said ports so that when the front port leading to the high-pressure cylinder is open to the steam-chest the rear port of the same cylinder will be uncovered to connect by means of the rear of said chambers with the rear port of the low-pressure cylinder, and the forward port of the low-pressure cylinder will be open to connect by means of the forward one of said chambers with the exhaust-port, substantially as shown and described.

7. In a steam-engine a steam-chest provided with one set of ports leading to and from a high-pressure cylinder, and another set of ports leading to and from a low-pressure cylinder, and also provided with an exhaust-port, in combination with a slide-valve having chambers connected by a port having a gate adapted to close or open the same, such slide-valve provided with valve-faces arranged relatively to said ports so that when the front port leading to the high-pressure cylinder is open to the steam-chest the rear port of same cylinder will be open to connect by means of the rear chamber with the rear port of the low-pressure cylinder and the forward port of the low-pressure cylinder will be open to connect by means of the forward chamber with the exhaust-port, and when the port between said chambers is open by means of the raising of said gate the rear port of the high-pressure cylinder will be open to connect by means of said chambers with the exhaust-port, substantially as shown and described.

8. In a steam-engine, a steam-chest provided with a valve-seat having one set of ports leading to and from a high-pressure cylinder, and another set of ports leading to and from a low-pressure cylinder, and also having an exhaust port, in combination with a slidevalve having chambers connected by a port a gate therein adapted to open and close said port, such slide-valve having faces arranged relatively to said ports so that when the port leading to the high-pressure cylinder is open to the steam-chest and the exhaust-port, the rear port of the same cylinder will be uncovered to connect by means of the rear chamber the port connecting said chamber and the front chamber to the exhaust--port, substantially as shown and described.

9. A steam-engine having a steam-chest provided with ports, high and low pressure cylinders provided with pistons connected respectively by suitable means to opposite cranks of one common axle, a balance slidevalve in said steam-chest provided with chambers having ports leading to and from said cylinders, a port connecting said chambers, a gate adapted to open and close said port, and valve-faces adapted to control the admission and exhaust of the steam to and from the high and low pressure cylinders and the slide-valve when said gate is closed, and when open to permit the escape of the steam direct from the high-pressure cylinderinto the slidevalve and the exhaust of used steam therefrom, substantially as shown and described.

10. A steam-engine having high and low pressure cylinders provided respectively with pistons connected, each, by suitable means to opposite cranks of one common axle, such engine provided with a steam-chest having a valve-seat with one setof ports leading to and from the high-pressure cylinder, and another set of ports leading to and from the low-pressure cylinder, and also having an exhaustport, in combination with a slide-valve having chambers connected bya port capable of being opened or closed by a gate and provided with such gate and means for opening and closing the same, and having faces arranged relatively to the ports leading to and from the cylinders so that when the port connecting the chambers is open, the steam is free to exhaust from the high-pressure cylinder by means of the chambers to the exhaustport, and when the port connecting the chambers is closed the steam from the high-pressure cylinder is forced to enter the port lead ing to the low-pressure cylinder, all arranged substantially as shown and described.

11. In a steam-engine asteam-chest having ports and provided with a startingvalve and a slide-valve also provided with ports, said slide-valve having interior chambers, connected by a port capable of being opened or closed by a gate, the ports A of the slidevaly e arranged relatively to the ports of the starting-valve, whereby when the slide-valve is off of center and the starting-valve is open, communication is established by means of the ports A of the slide-valve and the ports of the starting-valve between the interior of the steam-chest and the forward interior chamber of the slide-valve when such slide-valve is advanced, and between the interior of the interior of the steam-chest and the forward steam chest and the rear chamber of the slide-valve, when such slide-valve is retracted, substantially as shown and described.

12. 111 a steam-engine, a steam-chest having ports provided with a starting-valve also having ports, and held in place by lugs attached to the interior wall of the steam-chest, and a slide'valve having interior chambers connected by a port capable of being opened or closed by a gate and also provided with ports A arranged relatively to the ports of the starting-valve, whereby when the slidevalve is off of center and the starting-valve is open, communication is established by means of the ports A of the slide-valve, and the ports of the starting-valve between the interior of the steam-chest and the forward interior chamber of the slide-valve when such slide-valve is advanced, and between the interior of the steam-chest and the rear chamber of the slide-valve when such slide-valve is retracted, substantially as shown and de scribed.

13. A steam-engine having a steam-chest provided with ports, high and low pressure cylinders provided with pistons connected respectively by suitable means to opposite cranks of one common axle, a balance slidevalve in said steam-chest provided with chambers having ports leading to and from said cylinders, a port connecting said chambers, a gate adapted'to open and close said port, and valve-faces adapted to control the admission and exhaust of the steam to and from the high and low pressure cylinders into the slide-valve when said gate is closed, and when open to permit the escape of the steam direct from the high-pressure cylinder into the slidevalve and the exhaust of used steam therefrom, in combination with a starting-valve having ports arranged relatively to the ports A of the slide-valve, so that when the slidevalve is off of center, and the starting-valve is open, communication is established, by means of the ports of the starting-valve and the said ports of the slide-valve, between the chamber of the slide-valve, when such slidevalve is advanced, and between the interior of the steam-chest and the rear chamber of the slide-valve when the slide-valve is retracted, substantially as shown and described.

14. A steam-engine having a steam-chest provided with ports, high and low pressure cylinders provided with pistons connected respectively, by suitable means, to opposite cranks of one common axle, a balance slidevalve in said steam-chest provided with chambers having ports leading to and from said cylinders, a port connecting said chambers, a gate adapted to open and close said port, and valve-faces adapted to control the admission and exhaust of the steam to and from the high and low pressure cylinders and the slide-valve when said gate is closed, and when open to permit the escape of the steam direct from the high-pressure cylinder into the slidevalve and the exhaust of used steam therefrom, in combination with a starting-valve held in place by lugs attached to the interior wall of the steam-chest, such starting-valve ports arranged relatively to the ports A of the slide-valve, so that when the slidewalve is off of center, and the starting-valve is open, communication is established by means of the ports of the starting-valve and the said ports of the slide-valve between the interior of the steam-chest and the forward chamber of the slide-valve when such slide-valve is advanced, and between the interior of the steam-chest and the rear chamber of the slide-valve when the slide-valve is retracted, substantially as shown and described. 7

15-. An engine, consisting of high and low pressure cylinders, a steam-chest having ports connecting the said cylinders and a slide-valve in said steam-chest provided witha chamber having a gate located therein moving therewith, adapted to be held in an open or closed position, substantially as described.

16. An engine, consisting of high and low pressure cylinders, a steam-chest having ports connecting the said cylinders, a slide-valve in said steam-chest provided with a chamber having a gate located therein moving therewith, adapted to be held in an open or closed position, and a starting valve, said valve adapted to cooperate to start the engine substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLIFTON REEVES.

Witnesses:

EDWARD W. LEE, PETER W. CRozER. 

